Rosen named Bob Cousy Award candidate

Star point guard and junior Zack Rosen was named one of 66 candidates for the Bob Cousy Award today. The award is given annually to the best point guard in any division of men's college basketball.

Rosen is surely a longshot for the award, which was awarded to the likes of Greivis Vasquez (Maryland) and Ty Lawson (North Carolina) the past two years. But to be nominated in that vein is a testament to 2009-10 all-Ivy player's talents and efforts.

The field of 66 will be narrowed to 20 on January 3rd (when Rosen and Penn take on Kentucky), and then again to 10 and again to five finalists by March. Cornell's Chris Wroblewski is the only other Ivy League guard nominated.

Big 5 Nominees include Corey Fisher (Villanova) and Juan Fernandez (Temple). And those Big 5 buffs out there will remember that St. Joseph's guard Jameer Nelson took the inaugural award in 2004.

For those unfamiliar with the award (from the Cousy Award website): "The selection criteria emphasize leadership, team work, success, and fundamentals as being critical parts for the game of basketball as a point guard."

The entire list of nominees follows after the jump.

Aaron Johnson, UAB A.J. Rompza, Cental Florida A.J. Walton, Baylor Alec Burks, Colorado Alex Tucker, Florida Atlantic Brandon Knight, Kentucky Brendan McKillop, Davidson Brock Young, East Carolina Bruce Ellington, South Carolina Bryan Dougher, Stony Brook Cameron Wells, The Citadel Casper Ware, Long Beach State Chaisson Allen, Northeastern Chris Warren, Mississippi Chris Wrobleski, Cornell Corey Fisher, Villanova DeAndre Brown, Louisiana Tech Demetri McCamey, Illinois Demontez Stitt, Clemson Derek Needham, Fairfield Derwin Kitchen, Florida State Devin Gibson, UTSA Devon Moore, James Madison Diante Garrett, Iowa State D.J. Cooper, Ohio D.J. Gay, San Diego State Hank Thorns, TCU Isaiah Thomas, Washington Jacob Pullen, Kansas State Jay Threatt, Delaware State Jimmer Fredette, BYU Joe Jakubowski, Bowing Green Joey Rodriguez, VCU Josh Ashworth, IUPUI Jordan Callahan, Tulane Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin Juan Fernandez, Temple Julyan Stone, UTEP Junard Hartley, Campbell Juwan Staten, Dayton Kalin Lucas, Michigan State Keegan Bell, Chattanooga Keiton Page, Oklahoma State Kemba Walker, UConn Kevin Anderson, Richmond Kevin White, Maryland Eastern Shore Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Northern Iowa Kyrie Irving, Duke Lewis Jackson, Purdue Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech Marquis Jones, Rhode Island Michael Dixon Jr., Missouri Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary’s Mike Williams, Western Carolina Nolan Smith, Duke Norris Cole, Cleveland State O.J. Avworo, Navy Phil Pressey, Missouri Randy Davis, Ball State Reggie Moore, Washington State Scott Machado, Iona Talor Battle, Penn State Tu Holloway, Xavier Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas Zac Swansey, Tennessee Tech Zack Rosen, Penn